The Adrian Peterson saga seems to develop a new twist on a daily basis. It has been rumored for a few weeks now that the former MVP does not want to return to Minnesota, and it was believed that the team was quietly shopping the superstar running back.

Any Trade Partners Left For Vikings And Peterson?

Earlier this week, the team announced that there is no way they will release Peterson, making it seem that a trade is the only way that he will leave town. However, the two most likely trade partners for the Vikings are the Cowboys and Cardinals, and both of those teams have taken themselves out of the running one way or another.

Enter the dark horse candidate to land Peterson. According to Rant Sports, none other than the New England Patriots may be a sneaky-good bet to land the Vikings running back.

Dallas Planning To Fill RB Need In Draft Instead Of Via Trade?

The Patriots are coming off of a Super Bowl victory, and they would seem to be okay with their running back situation after LeGarrette Blount once again proved that he can carry the load.

However, Bill Belichick has always been a guy that prefers to buck the trends going around the league if he thinks that he has found undervalued assets. He was the first to start the high-speed tempo, and he moved to two tight ends as every other team was moving to three- and four-receiver looks.

Yes, the league is turning away from high-priced running backs, but Peterson is so good that it may be worth it for New England. He would be the best back they've ever had, and Belichick is well-known for using his resources to build on strengths instead of inadequately shoring up weaknesses (like how he didn't overpay any defensive backs to try and replace Darrelle Revis).

It will still take a lot to get Peterson, and New England may not even be interested. But given the mad genius of Bill Belichick, it certainly makes for an intriguing possibility.